High-Quality ITEQ Laminates

If you’re looking for any information on ITEQ laminates, you will find it right here.

From definition, classification, advantages, properties, to applications, among other critical aspects.

So, if you want to learn more about ITEQ laminates, read this guide.

What Is an ITEQ Laminate?

ITEQ PCB Material

An ITEQ laminate is a high quality, high-performance copper-clad laminate produced by ITEQ Corporation.

ITEQ laminate is used to fabricate Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) that find usefulness in diverse applications.

ITEQ Corporation is a Taiwan based electronic company that is a leading manufacturer of copper-clad laminates and has been operational since 1997.

Production of ITEQ laminates follows intensive research, development, and innovation process to enable reliable and quality products.

Consequently, ITEQ laminates are high-performance laminates that are market-tailored to provide solutions for current and future electronic problems and shortcomings.

At Venture Electronics, we offer the best ITEQ laminates PCB.

Our ITEQ PCB laminates are high performance and affordable.

What Are the Features of High-Quality ITEQ Laminate?

The features of ITEQ laminates vary greatly depending on a particular product and its intended use.

However, some features are universal for all the laminates for quality purposes.

Some of the features of ITEQ laminates include:

• Low Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
• Excellent resistance to heat
• Excellent CAF resistance
• Excellent through-hole reliability
• Superior electrical performance
• Stable mechanical properties.
• Excellent thermal and chemical reliability
• Eco-friendly
• Easy to process
• Possess advanced transitional temperature resin technology
• The dielectric constant and dissipation factor are stable over a wide range of frequencies.
• Stable dielectric constant and dissipation factor over a range of temperature
• Ideal for boards with a high layer count
• Excellent dimensional stability
• Ideal for hybrid boards

What Types of ITEQ Laminates Are There?

They comes in four main types of laminates.

These product lines include:

Rigid Copper Clad Laminates and Prepreg

Copper clad laminate

Copper Clad Laminates (CCL) are the most commonly used PCB substrate. In simple terms, it is a dielectric material comprising of a reinforcing material and copper foil/clad on one or both sides.

The reinforcing material usually begins as a prepreg that is treated to form a fully cured CCL.

On the other hand, a Prepreg is a partially cure material made up of a base material such as glass fibre that has been reinforced with a resin.

You will use it to bind two copper layers together or bind a core and a copper layer while maintaining a separation between the two.

Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS)

This type of PCB substrate comprises a copper foil laminated on a metal carrier such as aluminum using a prepreg.

This material offers superior thermal management solutions in applications that generate a lot of heat.

They are fundamental in applications demanding reduced device sizes, higher performance, and operating at higher frequencies.

By offering good thermal management properties, IMS ensures improved modern devices’ functionality and extends the product’s life cycle.

No Flow Prepreg

These are specially made prepregs used to bond heat sinks to the PCB or laminate in rigid-flex products.

No flow prepregs are specifically manufactured to limit the prepreg flow during the lamination of rigid-flex products.

No flow prepregs are fundamental in applications requiring very thin prepregs to maintain height and in structured boards having internal edges.

Flexible Copper Clad Laminates

FCCL laminates are ideal for constructing PCBs for use in higher performance applications.

Consequently, these PCBs are usually very flexible, possess higher dimensional stability, low dielectric constant high flexibility, halogen-free, etc.

FCCL is made of an insulating polyester or PI film, a thin conductor copper foil with a flexible surface.

This type of copper-clad laminate is thinner, more flexible, and lightweight compared to rigid CLL.

It is extensively used in digital cameras, laptops, smartphones, automotive GPS, etc.

What Types of Application Use ITEQ Laminate?

You can use ITEQ laminates to fabricate PCBs for various applications ranging from traditional to emerging technologies.

You will use ITEQ laminates to fabricate PCBs that are ideal for constructing either infrastructure or end-user based devices.

The following are some of the fields where ITEQ laminates can offer leading-edge solutions to industrial electronic problems.

Communication and Computational Applications

You can use ITEQ laminates to fabricate different communication and computational devices and equipment such as switches, storage units, and servers.

Specifically, ITEQ laminates offer low loss, longevity, lightweight, and controlled dielectric constant, making them ideal for use in such devices.

Radio Frequency and Microwave Devices

You can also use different ITEQ laminates to fabricate PCBs with the desired properties for 5G and millimetre-wave devices.

ITEQ produces a series of laminates that possess the desired features, such as excellent dimensional stability and a lower Coefficient of Thermal expansion along the Z-axis.

Other features that these products offer include lower loss tangent at higher frequencies, i.e., 10GHz, lower moisture absorptions, UL 94 flammability rating of V-0, excellent thermal conductivity, and high dielectric strength.

Automotive Application

ITEQ laminates are also ideal for use in manufacturing smart cars with advanced driver-assist systems.

ITEQ laminates will enable you to fabricate PCBs that are ideal for manufacturing sensor sensitive systems in automobiles.

The radar technology helps modern cars maneuver through blind spots, avoid collisions and conform to traffic conditions when driving on cruise mode.

Such systems deliver a superior driving experience and enhance road and aerospace safety.

Some ITEQ laminate types you can use in smart cars include IT189, IT158, IT 180, etc.

These laminates have very low CTE, high heat resistance, Excellent through-hole reliability, superior CAF resistance.

They also possess excellent thermal conductivity and comparative tracking index.

High Density Interconnects Solutions.

ITEQ laminates such as IT150G, IT168G1, and IT168G2 are ideal for use in HDI applications such as smartphones and laptops.

These applications usually demand PCBs with very high circuitry compared to conventional PCBs due to the arrangement of numerous, smaller components.

Such laminates help you produce gadgets with smaller sizes and high-reliability levels.

ITEQ laminates that support HDI devices facilitate faster signal transmission and significant decline in signal loss and cross delays.

What Processes Can You Use to Fabricate ITEQ Laminates?

ITEQ Corporation follows three main proprietary processes in producing different PCB laminates with various properties.

These production processes are as follows:

Production of Rigid Copper-clad Laminate and Prepreg

The process is as follows:

• Add and mix a resin, accelerator, and a hardener to form a resin system.
• Combine the resin system with glass fabric, then subjecting them to heat treatment to form a prepreg.
• Machine-cut the prepreg into desired sizes.
• Laminate with a copper foil of the desired thickness and method. Available options include electrodeposited copper, rolled copper, and reverse electrodeposited copper.
• Inspect the final product, label it and deliver it to the customer.
• Note that these processes are all automated.

Manufacture of Insulated Metal Laminate (IMS)

ITEQ IMS laminates are high-quality laminates that offer superior electrical insulation and effective thermal dissipation.

Consequently, the production of ITEQ IMS laminate is as follows:

• The aluminum film and the adhesion system is treated through brushing and anodizing.
• The stacked lay-up constituting copper oil, film, and aluminum is subjected to stacked chamber combinations while the rear combinations pass through hot laminating machines.
• The resulting product is then affixed with a protective layer to protect it against scratches and attack by process solvents.
• It is then cut to standard dimensions or any custom size requested by the customer.
• The product goes through levelling to meet industrial or tailor-made quality standards.
• The product is vacuum packed as per aluminum specifications or tape-packed and delivered appropriately.
• Manufacturing the fixed copper-clad laminate follows the steps below:
  • Mixing of the resin system
  • Coating
  • Drying and subjection through a rewinder machine
  • Curing,
  • Slitting
  • Inspection and
  • Packaging

What Classes of ITEQ Laminates Are There?

The classification is based on the following key parameters:

• Classification based on transitional temperature
  • Products with high transitional temperature
    • Contains the majority, 24 products in total.
  • Products with mid-level transitional temperature
    • A total of seven product
  • Classification based on loss tangent

This category harbours the following classes of products.

• Products have a standard tangent loss.
• Products with upper mid-tangent loss
• Products with lower mid-tangent loss
• Products with low tangent loss
• Products with ultra-low tangent loss
• Products ideal for RF applications

What Are the Advantages of Using ITEQ Laminate?

ITEQ laminates are designed to solve most electrical problems in modern PCB fabrication process.

Below are some of the benefits associated with ITEQ laminates:

ITEQ PCB Fabrication

• Offers optimal cost-benefit ratio in the market
• Possess superior electrical properties related to tangent loss and dielectric constant.
• Easy to simulate the signals because of stable electrical properties over a wide range of frequencies
• Suitable for use in higher frequencies, up to 20GHz, as a result of exceptional signal integrity.
• Ideal for application requiring higher thermal reliability
• Compatible with lead-free processing techniques
• Ideal for construction of multi-layer boards
• Ideal for fabricating digital applications and RF applications with long-term reliability.
• The complete prepreg offers support for easy fabrication of pure packages of high-layer boards.
• You can easily produce hybrid-multilayer boards, tailor-made to suit your specific needs.
• Easy and user-friendly fabrication processes
• More durable
• Delivers higher yields
• Better registration
• Available in a diverse range of constructions to select from
• The laminates are eco-friendly as the majority are produced with halogen-free processing techniques.
• Laminates have a wide range of electrical and thermal properties, making them ideal for diverse application types with different requirements.

Are ITEQ Laminates Suitable for High-Frequency Application?

Some ITEQ laminates such as IT 180ABS are constructed explicitly for high-frequency applications that require faster signal propagation.

They suit applications of up to 20GHz.

ITEQ laminates for high-frequency applications possess excellent signal integrity and are characterized by ultra-low dielectric constant and low loss tangent.

ITEQ Laminate PCB Material

What Are the Advantages of Low Dielectric Constant ITEQ Laminates?

ITEQ Corporation produces both low Dk and Ultra-low Dk laminate materials to meet the demand of various high-frequency applications.

Your ITEQ laminate with low Dk will confer you the following advantages.

• It will allow a longer length mismatch.
• Has weaker capacitive coupling, which helps in lowering timing jitter.
• Has lower loss tangent
• Excellent impedance control. It enables a smaller distance to the ground plane, thus significantly reducing loop inductance.
• Faster recovery following ground bounce.
• Supports denser routing due to lower capacitive crosstalk
• Has longer transmission line critical length as a result of speedy signal transmission

Does ITEQ Produce High Dielectric Constant Laminates?

The majority of ITEQ laminates have low Dk, ranging from 4.4 to 2.98.

However, one of the products, IT-8615G, has a dielectric constant of 6.15 and a loss tangent of 0.0037.

Why Are ITEQ Laminates High-Performance Laminates?

ITEQ laminates are designed for advanced circuit applications beyond the capability of standard FR-4 material and hence considered high-performance laminates.

You can use ITEQ laminates to fabricate PCBs for use in the following demanding applications.

• High thermal applications
• High-Density Interconnect (HDI) PCBs
• High-speed digital applications
• PCBs with Controlled Thermal Expansion.
• Controlled impedance applications
• RF/Microwave frequencies

HDI PCB

What Is an ITEQ No Flow Prepreg?

A no-flow or low flow prepreg is the kind of prepreg produced through a proprietary engineering process.

It utilizes a controlled melt viscosity to ensure that the prepreg undergoes minimal flow when bonding heat sinks and laminating rigid-flex materials.

No flow prepreg possesses very high melt viscosity.

Besides, it remains stable during adhesion and lamination to minimize the flow of prepreg into heat sink cutouts and beyond the edge of rigid-flex boards.

Consequently, no flow prepregs allow for device insertion into cutouts and maintain the flexibility status of flex parts of the board.

You can also get IT-180GNBS, a multifunctional epoxy and halogen-free laminate with a high transitional temperature of 175C.

ITEQ PCB

IT-180GNBS offers very low and uniform flow characteristics that translate into excellent flatness and thickness uniformity.

It has less powder content for the punching process and will deliver top-notch bonding strength to normal bonding prepreg.

You can use ITEQ no flow prepreg for Rigid-Flex Boards and any other application that requires uniform and low resin flow characteristics.

What Is The Difference Between ITEQ Core and ITEQ Prepreg?

These two materials are both used in the fabrication of multi-layer PCBs.

An ITEQ core is the primary material you need to manufacture your ITEQ PCB.

In some cases, the core and laminate may be used to refer to similar materials.

A PCB core is, therefore, a material layer that has copper foils attached to both sides.

The core can either comprise single or multiple prepreg laminates that have undergone pressing, hardening, and heat curing with both of its sides plated with copper.

On the other hand, a prepreg is a PCB base material such as glass fibres that have been reinforced with a resin system and hardened but not yet cured.

Prepreg is a bonding material that acts as a glue that bonds several core materials together.

When you place a prepreg between two adjacent core and expose it to heat, the resin will melt and start bonding the adjacent layers.

Finally, the resins harden and cure through crosslinking.

You can also use ITEQ prepreg to insulate the inner conductive pattern of multiple layer boards.

What is an ITEQ Copper Clad Laminate (CCL)?

An ITEQ CCL is a base material for constructing PCBs.

It comprises an organic reinforcing material such as fibreglass or pulp fibres that have been impregnated with adhesive resin and laminated on both sides with copper foil at high temperature and pressure.

How Can You Classify ITEQ CCL Produced by ITEQ?

There are many ways to classify copper Cladding Laminates.

Some of the most widely used classification methods include:

Categorization Based on the Reinforcing Material

Accordingly, this type of classification harbours the following kinds of CCL.

• Glass fibre type CCL
• Paper type CCL
• Compound CCL
• Special material type CCL

Categorization Based on Performance

These groups of CCL include the following classes of CCL.

• High heat resistance CCL
• General-purpose CCL
• Low dielectric constant CCL
• Low CTE CCL

Categorization According to Applied Insulation Resin

`These group of CCL includes:

• Polyester resin CCL
• Epoxy resin CCL
• Phenolic resin CCL

Categorization According to Mechanical Rigidity

There are two main classes under this category and the main classification system used by ITEQ Corporation to categorize their CCL products.

• Rigid CCL
• Flexible CCL

Categorization According to the Thickness

These include:

• Standard thickness CCL
• Thin CCL

Can You Use ITEQ Laminates for Fabricating Multi-layer PCB?

Yes, ITEQ laminates have been proprietarily designed to suit multi-layer PCB constructions.

ITEQ laminates have excellent thermal reliability, low CTE, and high CAF resistance, making them superior laminates for fabricating multi-layer boards.

The laminates also exhibit stable mechanical properties over a wide range of dielectric constant and temperature, making them ideal for multi-layer constructions.

These properties also enable you to construct hybrid multi-layer boards using diverse types of ITEQ laminates.

How Does the Thickness of ITEQ Laminate Affect Its Performance?

ITEQ laminates come in diverse dimensions and panel thickness.

The thickness of a laminate will influence the final PCB thickness and, to some extent, its performance.

For instance, a thin laminate has a low profile and reduced weight making it ideal for manufacturing mobile devices with reduced product sizes.

Using a thinner laminate for high-frequency applications also helps you avoid undesired signal propagation.

However, controlling impedance in thinner laminates with very low Dk and Df can be problematic and require thick conductors.

On the contrary, thicker laminate with similar specs will not have impedance control issues and are also less fragile.

What Are the Benefits of Producing a Hybrid PCB Using ITEQ Laminates?

ITEQ laminates have consistent mechanical properties and stable electrical properties verse frequency and temperature.

These properties make ITEQ materials suitable for manufacturing hybrid, multi-layer PCBs using different ITEQ laminate types or any other compatible laminate.

Using ITEQ laminates to construct hybrid PCB helps lower PCB fabrication’s total cost by layering less costly and more expensive PCB laminates.

Using ITEQ laminates with different Dk and Df values in your PCB enables you to use it on applications requiring different frequencies and temperatures.

What Surface Finishes Methods Can You Use Alongside ITEQ Laminates?

You can only use lead-free surface finishes options for ITEQ laminates that can withstand lead fee processing techniques.

For lead-free PCBs, you can consider the following types of surface finishing techniques for your PCB:

• Electroless Nickel-based techniques, i.e., ENIG, ENIGEG, ENEPIG
• Immersion tin
• Immersion Silver
• Organic Solderability Preservatives
• Direct Immersion Gold
• Lead-free HASL

Different surface finishes for PCB

What Handling Precautions Should You Consider for ITEQ Laminates?

When handling ITEQ laminates, you should take appropriate precautions to protect yourself from injuries and the product from damage.

The following tips will help you avoid unnecessary workplace accidents.

• Always store your laminates in a cool, dry, and ventilated area.
• Ensure that your workplace is well ventilated and has a good lighting system.
• Put on appropriate gear to protect you against irritation caused by the laminate’s dust.
• Wear gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints on the laminate.
• Do not exceed the decomposition temperature of the laminate when processing. Excessive temperature will emit toxic fumes that have irritating effects on the respiratory.
• Wear eye goggles when machining ITEQ laminate to protect you from dust.
• Use NIOSH approved respirators when working under conditions that are likely to produce toxic fumes or dust.
• Follow the local regulatory guidelines on the disposal of electronic products. Do not flush them onto the sewer system.
• Have emergency medical contacts in case of accidents. Also, install emergency shower areas.

What Properties Should You Consider When Selecting ITEQ Laminates?

You can select from the numerous available options of laminates with different transitional temperature and dielectric loss.

The following are some of the properties that you should consider when shopping for ITEQ laminates.

Thermal Properties

• Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)

ITEQ laminates are broadly classified into products with high transitional temperature and those with mid-level transitional temperature.

Materials with high transitional temperatures also possess excellent properties for plated-through holes, thus ideal for the fabrication of multi-layer boards.

Thermal Decomposition Temperature (Td)

You should select products with high decomposition temperature when you use the material in environments with high operating temperatures.

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

Choose a laminate with a CTE close to copper claddings’ CTE, interior thermal planes, and surface mounted devices to avoid expansion related problems.

Thermal Conductivity

A laminate’s thermal conductivity defines its heat-conductive properties and directly influences the heat transfer properties of the PCB.

The thermal conductive of the ITEQ laminate you choose should be high enough to avoid heat accumulation on the surface-mounted devices.

Electrical Properties

• Dielectric constant and loss tangent

ITEQ cooperation produces laminates with dielectric constant as low as 2.98 and as high as 6.15.

Similarly, the laminates also have diverse ranges loss tangent, from standard loss to ultra-low loss.

Selecting a material with the best match for Dk and Df values will depend on your operating conditions’ characteristics.

• Other important electrical properties are:
  • Volume resistivity
  • Surface resistivity
  • Electrical strength

Chemical Properties

• Moisture absorption

You should select a material with very low moisture absorption if your application is very sensitive to fluctuations in thermal and electrical properties.

Moisture absorption properties of ITEQ materials range from 0.01% to 0.20%.

• Flammability rating

Select a laminate with a low flammability rating to avoid incidences of fire damage.

When the laminate is made of a material with high combustibility, fire breakout incidences will be very high, causing serious damages.

Mechanical Properties

• Time to delamination

It refers to how long the laminate will take before delaminating.

Time to delamination indicates how long the PCB layers can stay intact when exposed to a particular temperature threshold.

Other mechanical properties that you can also consider are:

• Flexural strength
• Density
• Peel strength

Others

• Copper Anodic Filament (CAF) resistance

CAF resistance is a critical parameter when the PCB you are designing will be operating continuously for extended periods.

A material laminate having higher CAF resistance is desirable for bigger PCBs with complex servers.

• Eco-friendly laminates

Also known as green laminate, ITEQ eco-friendly laminates addresses environmental and human health concerns.

ITEQ eco-friendly laminates are those fabricated within RoHs and are thus compatible with lead-free processing techniques.

Some ITEQ laminates are also halogen-free and hence do not cause a potential health risk and environmental degradation upon incineration at the end of the product’s lifecycle.

What Factors Affect the Performance of ITEQ Laminates?

ITEQ Laminates

ITEQ laminates are high-performance laminates fabricated through continuous research and development to ensure optimal product efficiency.

Though the laminate’s properties directly affect its efficiency, other fabrication and operational factors also contribute to its overall performance.

Below are some of the critical factors which will influence how good the laminate performs.

• The thickness of dielectric material and copper cladding
• The type of copper cladding used.
• Compatibility with surface mounted components.
• Laminate’s impedance control
• The laminate’s temperature coefficient of dielectric constant
• Laminate’s insertion loss
• Roughness or smoothness of the copper surface
• Electrical, thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties of the laminate
• The operating environment conditions.

Are ITEQ Laminates RoHS Compliant?

Yes, ITEQ laminates are RoHS compliant. ITEQ Corporation is founded on core principles of reducing harmful waste on the environment and optimizing green environment operations.

In attempts to achieve the above policies, ITEQ laminates are fabricated using lead-free processing techniques for optimal management of harmful substances.

Furthermore, RoHS compliancy, which adheres to lead-free processing techniques, also produces laminates having maximum reflow temperature.

These laminates are specifically suited for applications demanding PCB materials that have high thermal reliability.

There are also ITEQ laminates that are halogen-free.

These laminates do not cause adverse environmental pollution at the end of the product life cycle by releasing toxic gases into the environment.

Are ITEQ Laminates Certified by Any Quality Assurance Body?

Yes, ITEQ laminates are produced under strict industry standards that uphold the highest level of product safety and quality.

ITEQ laminates are certified for complying with the following product standards.

IECQ QC 080000

IECQ certifications systems is an internationally recognized certification for electronic products and their associated components.

It assesses the quality of electronic components based on the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards.

Specifically, IECQ QC 080000 certify products on standards of Hazardous Substance Process Management (HSPM).

It is a complementary managing system and justifies that you are committed to the health and environmental protection policies.

IECQ QC 080000 shows that you are compliant with industrial standards that encourage reducing or eliminating hazardous substances in electronic products.

Consequently, ITEQ laminates adhere to RoHS and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) specifications, and are thus IECQ QC 080000 certified.

ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is an Environmental Management System standard developed by International Standards Organization.

It also indicates that ITEQ Corporation has enforced measures to prevent environmental degradation.

Some of the key topics of ISO 14001:2015 include Context of Organization, Leadership, Planning, Support, Operations, Performance Evaluation, and Improvement.

ISO/TS 16949

It is a quality management system that complements ISO9001:2008 specifications.

These standards are specific to laminates, and electronic products produced for use in the automotive industry.

ISO/TS 16949 ensures that the customers are satisfied and laminates are of high quality.

It also outlines requirements for identifying product and supply chain problems and risks, procedures for eliminating the causes, and how to enforce preventive and corrective measures.

OHSAS 18001

These standards are currently hosted under ISO 45001:2018Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS).

The deadline for migration of previously OHSAS 18001 certified companies are set for March 2021.

The standards outlined in ISO 45001:2018 focuses on protecting employee’s health by reducing workplace-related diseases and injuries.

It also promotes and protects the mental and physical health of a company’s employees.

UL Certification

UL (Underwriters Laboratory) is an international safety certification company that ensures new products entering the market are safe for employees and consumers’ use.

UL certification applies to ITEQ laminates, personnel, production facilities, systems, and processes required by applicable standards.

SONY Green Book certification

ITEQ Corporation has a certificate of compliance issue following the requirements of Sony Certification Green Partner.

Sony awards this certificate to suppliers who incorporate environmentally sensitive production methods.

The certificate recognizes ITEQ Corporation’s efforts in producing laminates following Green PARTNER Environmental Management Sytems.

What Are the Requirements of IPC-4101C Specification Standards?

IPC 4101 specifications provide a standardized method for categorizing base materials, laminate, and prepregs, which are primarily used to make rigid and multi-layer boards.

The standards ease the process of identifying a base material on the ground of its performance characteristics.

You can easily follow the IPC 4101 * * * * specs categorization and select a base material with all the desired properties from the wide range of the available brand.

What Is ITEQ Stackup Pro?

A PCB stack-up is the sequence of insulators and copper layers required to manufacture a PCB before finalizing the board’s layout design.

ITEQ stack up is a web-based tool that enables you to develop the best optimal PCB performance arrangement.

It contains all the Dk and Df properties of ITEQ laminates and provides the best platform for building the latest stack-ups.

It automatically calculates the PCB’s impedance, inbuilt pressed thickness, editing the design, and warning you when the prepreg layers are insufficient.

You can load your stack up designs into ITEQ’s Stack up Pro by sharing or saving the files locally then importing them directly into the program.

ITEQ Stack up Pro will share and print your completed Stack up design as a PDF file or print and share the material data.

You will receive technical support from the ITEQ’s team that deals with product Design and signal integrity if you experience any difficulties in using ITEQ Stack up Pro.

Why Should You Use ITEQ Stackup Pro?

Using the correct Stack up ensures your PCB layers’ proper arrangement for optimal multi-circuit performance on a single board.

Are you a salesperson, design engineer, or PCB fabricator?

If so, then ITEQ Stack up Pro is your tool to go.

The web program is very easy to use and offers a convenient use methodology for fabricating modern high layer boards.

Using ITEQ Stack up Pro enables you to reduce your circuit’s vulnerability to the effects of external noise and eliminate crosstalk and impedance problems.

It also keeps radiation to the minimum, lower production cost, and enhances your product’s electromagnetic properties.

Specifically, ITEQ Stack up Pro is a web-based program that is user friendly and eliminates the need for software installation.

It also supports multi-user log-ins to access the same Stack up and directly share the information with other users within the interface.

Furthermore, ITEQ Stack up Pro removes all the translation barriers and mistakes during the review process.

How Can You Test the Efficiency of ITEQ Laminate?

You can use different methods to test ITEQ laminates’ qualities as specified by IPC and ASMT standards.

Some of the test methods you can use include:

· Stripline Resonators

This test helps you determine the laminates Dk and Df values at up to 10GHz.

You can also use other methods to determine these properties though they will give different results.

For this reason, you always have to specify the test you used.

· Thermochemical Analysis

Test for laminate’s volumetric change when subjected to heat.

It gives the laminates CTE and also its transitional temperature, though indirectly.

· Infrared Spectrophotometry (IR)

It shows changes in laminate’s chemical properties through absorption and transmission of infrared frequencies.

· Laser Flash Thermography

This test gives the laminate’s bulk density, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity that you will use to work out the material’s thermal conductivity.

· Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)

TGA mainly test for the decomposition temperature and its rate of progression.

However, the test will also give the content volatiles, moisture, and ash residue.

· Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)

This test method gives you the melting point of your ITEQ laminate.

It also provides the temperature and level of laminate’s curing.

Is Halogen-Free and Lead-Free ITEQ Laminates Refer to The Same Technology?

Halogen-free and lead-free standards are fabrication measures that protect people’s health and the environment from hazardous chemicals used in fabricating PCBs.

Lead-Free ITEQ Laminates

Lead-free laminates refer to PCB laminates that are RoHS compliant.

These laminates have been produced following RoHS requirements or Directive 2202/95/EC.

RoHS compliance directives were first implemented in European Union in 2006.

It focuses on restricting the use of hazardous compounds in the manufacture of PCB and other electronic products.

Presently, your products must adhere to these standards if they are to be accepted in European Union.

The standards have also been adopted by other major government agencies worldwide.

RoHS standards specify the maximum allowable quantities on the following restricted products on PCBs and other electronics as listed below.

Using lead-free ITEQ PCB laminates will help you improve your products’ safety, improve their thermal properties and reduce metal poisoning.

Halogen-Free ITEQ laminates

A halogen-free ITEQ laminate has been constructed according to the halogens’ set limits, chlorine, bromine, and fluorine).

Brominated flame retardants have been previously used to manufacture laminates to reduce damages and injuries associated with fire.

However, modern constructions of laminates avoid using such halogen-based techniques due to health and environmental concerns.

The problems associated with halogen used in laminates and other electronics come at the end of the product life cycle.

Disposing halogen-based laminates and electronic materials through incineration releases toxic halogen gases that can cause serious health problems when inhaled.

Many standards allow different maximum levels of halogen in an electronic product.

IEC standards identify halogen-free products to contain less than 900 ppm of chlorine and bromine and less than 1500 ppm of total halogen content.

Other benefits of halogen-free laminates are:

• Lower Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
• Higher transitional and decomposition temperatures
• Can tolerate higher reflow temperatures and cycles.

What Is the Shelf Life of ITEQ Laminates?

The shelf life of ITEQ laminate significantly varies depending on the handling, shipment, and storage conditions.

Usually, the handling and shipment conditions are overlooked, but they are just as important as storage conditions.

You should carefully handle ITEQ laminates to avoid contaminating or damaging them through scratches, dents, etc.

Similarly, transport your laminates in temperature-controlled chambers to prevent moisture attacks that would otherwise damage the laminates.

Storage of your ITEQ laminates is the most sensitive aspect with a direct influence on their shelf life.

The ultimate secret is to store your laminates at a standard room temperature range of between 13C to 28C and low humidity.

Since laminates are fully cured products and cannot advance further, you can store them for almost eternity in cool, clean, and dry conditions.

Avoid exposing the laminates to direct radiation, UV light, and other degrading agents while in storage.

Should you realize some oxidation on the copper foil, you can still recover the laminate’s original specs either through baking or using standard pre-cleaning techniques.

What Factors Affect the Cost of ITEQ Laminates?

The price of ITEQ laminate depends on the following:

• The laminate’s thickness and panel size
• Type of copper cladding used
• The dielectric constant and dissipation factor of the laminate
• The thickness of copper cladding
• The laminate’s mechanical properties
• Laminate’s thermal properties
• Cost of shipment
• Quantity purchased
• Taxes and tariffs, etc.

At Venture Electronics, we will help you find the best ITEQ laminates for your PCB fabrication processes.

For inquiries or questions about ITEQ laminates, contact Venture Electronics team now.